


A Tree Grows in Ishgard

by DelorraMontrachet



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:14:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24868963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelorraMontrachet/pseuds/DelorraMontrachet
Summary: What happens when a well-meaning Grandmother takes an interest in matchmaking.Its fluffy, but I'm hoping to get to the mystery soon.
Relationships: Aymeric de Borel/Original Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 17





	1. Granny

“Granny, you promised you wouldn’t make a fuss!” the young woman said, tightening the hood of her light cloak around her. “You promised you wouldn’t parade me around Ishgard like your prized plant!

“Nonsense girl, it is only proper that I introduce you the man who is the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords and the most eligible bachelor in Ishgard.” The Dowager Countess of House Haillenarte said breathlessly. “OOOhhhh Lord De Borel! Yoooo Hoooooo!!!!!!” and she waved her handkerchief at a tall man dressed in impeccable day wear, in the blue and gray colors of his house. Aymeric De Borel took a deep breath before turning around. He knew that voice, and, while he never dreaded the old woman, she did get tiresome with all her matchmaking attempts and her desire to use every single title he had in a single conversation. No one was safe from her machinations, especially her grandson, Stephanivien.

He put a smile on his face and turned around “Dowager Countess, as always, it is a pleasure” and took her hand and kissed it.

“Ooohhh Viscount De Borel, you are such a charmer. Thank you so much for supporting Ishgard getting its own Master Botanist! You know how much I treasure lovely gardens! They will make the Restoration of the Firmament seem so much brighter!

Above the old woman’s simpering, Aymeric heard a voice mutter “Granny, I asked you ……” and then saw the older woman push a much younger woman in front of her. “Lord Aymeric, may I introduce my youngest granddaughter, Lady Willahmina Quienliella Antionette de Haillenarte, Master Botanist and she who will bring beauty and joy to the downtrodden with her floral mastery. She has just arrived from Gradania to make the Restoration sing with color! She is the only child of my daughter, Halone rest her soul.”

The Lady in question pushed back her hood. Aymeric was stunned when a mass of hair the color of birch syrup tumbled out over her shoulders. She looked up at him and he gazed into emerald green. She held out her hand and said “Lord de Borel, I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Aymeric took her and kissed it. Then he looked into her eyes and said “Lady de Haillenarte, welcome back to Ishgard. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Ooohhh Lord Aymeric, Willahmina and I were going for high tea! You simply must come with us! You simply must! You need to hear of the plans I have for the gardens! You simply…”

The dowager’s granddaughter turned her body slightly so that Aymeric alone could see her face. She gave him a broad wink, and a wicked grin. She then turned to her grandmother and said “Oh Granny, I think cook has made those lovely macarons you enjoy so much! I would hate for you to miss them. I’m sure Lord de Borel can come to tea with me and see me safely home after I’ve finished shopping. And, you know”…as she bent over to whisper in the older woman’s ear and looked at Aymeric out of the corner of her eyes and whispered loudly “I would so enjoy getting to know Lord de Borel…..I’m sure he would be more comfortable having tea….alone…” and she deftly looped her arm through Aymerics and simpered up at him, bathing her eyelids.

“Oohhhhh you wicked girl! Very well…I’ll leave you to young people to your tea! Willahmina, don’t stay out too late! You know what people will think if you are out late with the Lord Speaker!!!” And she toddled off with the two staff that accompanied her and her granddaughter.

As her Granny moved out of earshot , the young woman said “Please forgive me for that little ruse! I was certain you had more to do today than sit and have tea with me and my Granny! She can be quite insistent and the only way to distract her is to make her think she is getting what she wants.”

Aymeric laughed “You managed her quite nicely! There for a moment, I thought I was going to have to pry both of you off me! She is a dear, but she is definitely a force of nature!”

Sticking out her hand, she said “Aye….and please, call me Quinly, or Quin. That gets around all those fanciful, overblown Ishgardian names that the high houses insist on giving their offspring. “

Aymeric smiled at her and said “Then, you must call me Aymeric. I do have a question for you, Lady Quinly."

When Quin nodded, Aymeric continued "Surely, a Master Botanist needs to do more than plan landscape. I understood that the Master Botanist we were expecting would be taking a serious look helping our horticulture recover from the Calamity, particularly our Heavens LemonTrees?

Quin laughed, and it sounded like bells “That’s me! And, yes, I will be heading out to Cloudtop next week to stay with my cousin Laniaitte and do a survey and take samples. Granny is afraid that Laniaitte will be a bad influence on me!” The sound of their laughter filled the frosty air. Suddenly, Aymeric heard a growling noise and he looked around. Quinly blushed and said “That was my stomach, not a Courel. If you will excuse me, I really need to get something to eat. I’ve been trying to get cold weather gear as there was none suitable in Gradania. Then Granny insisted on taking me out to get some ‘clothing suitable for proper young lady’. Is there a café or tavern nearby where I can get a decent glass of wine and something that isn’t made of turnips?”

Aymeric started to speak, then stopped, looked at Quin again and said “I can definitely give you directions, but if you would care to join me, I’m due for a meal as well.” At Quins nod, Aymeric taped his linkpearl and spoke softly “Ser Handeloup is my schedule still free until tomorrow? Good….keep it that way. I’m having dinner with a lovely young lady. And please, convey to Count de Haillenarte that Lady Willahmina is dining with me this evening.” And he gave Quin the most disarming grin she had ever seen.

Mischievously, Quin linked her arm in his and said “In for an ilm, in for a malm.”

Aymeric gave an even heartier laugh and said “Lady Quinly, I do believe you will be a breath of fresh air for House Haillenarte!”

They walked a short distance to a small tavern called The Dancing Dragoon. As he held the door open, she smelled the warm scent of a stew that had been cooking all afternoon. Aymeric lead her to a table in a corner near the fire. He helped her with her cloak and pulled out her chair. She sat and said “Ser, you spoil me.”

“And, I think you flirt with me milady” Aymeric said grinning.

“Flirting? Isn’t that the food Ishgardian High Society thrives on?” She said “While I can flirt, meaningless flirtation is not one of the things I enjoy.”

Aymeric sat down and leaned back, his hand against his chin. “Society does dine on flirtation, but I prefer something more substantial. However, it does lend some rather enjoyable spice to a relationship.”

Quin looked at him seriously and said “I find there is a fine line between flirting and being honest in admiration and expressing interest in someone I find fascinating. If I was flirting with you, I would have left us to Granny’s tender mercies.”

Aymeric let out a great guffaw at that “Touché, my lady, touché! Now, before that Courel in your stomach gets any louder, would you permit me to order for us both?”

At that moment, a young serving maid came over and said “Good Afternoon Ser Aymeric! Tis not often we see ye here at the Dragoon. The bourguignon is just about ready and me mam has made some fresh bread. What will ye both be having?”

Aymeric looked at Quin who nodded her head “The bourguignon sounds wonderful! We’ll have that and a bottle of the Wines Port Burgundy.” The two enjoyed a hearty dinner; neither being shy about enjoying excellent food. They spend a delightful few hours getting acquainted with each other, exploring what they had in common, and what interests they shared. When the evening drew to a close and night fell over Ishgard, the staff at the Dragoon started to clean up. Aymeric looked at the empty bottle of Burgundy and said “My lady, please, forgive me. I’ve not spent such an enjoyable evening in quite a while. Would you allow me the honor of escorting you back to your home?”

Quin exclaimed “Granny will have my hide for not getting at least one dress! Oh well, I’ll just sneak out before she gets up and pick something up.”

They stood up and Aymeric helped her into her cloak that was obviously not up to Ishgardian weather. Aymeric looked at her speculatively “I might be able to help. I do have a…colleague of sorts who could help you with a wardrobe. I will warn you, she does not design in the traditional Ishgardian style, but I think you would rather appreciate not wearing something that everyone else wears.” At her happy nod, Aymeric tucked her gloveless hand into the bend of his arm to keep it warm. When they arrived at House Haillenarte, Quin was shivering slightly from the cold, but it was not an unpleasant shiver. Aymeric was warm beside her, and he kept her close. The door guard moved a discrete distance from the light at the door and turned his back. Aymeric turned her gently to face him.

She noticed she only came up to his shoulders, and she was considered fairly tall for a woman. She inhaled and smelled the scent of sage, fire and something sweet, like…”Incense. You smell of incense”.

Aymeric bent down slightly “Quin” he murmured…”may I see you again? Soon, perhaps?”

She smiled up at him and said “I would enjoy that very much.”

He bent down and took her hand and placed a lingering kiss on it while he looked in her eyes. “I look forward to it.” With that, he opened the door for her and noticed that the ever-efficient butler was ready to assist her further. “Good evening Lady Quinly.” She smiled softly as the butler closed the door. As the door closed, Aymeric could swear he heard the happy trilling of a song.

The next morning, Quin came down for breakfast. “Good morning Uncle! Good morning Francel!” When the two men returned her greeting, she helped herself to breakfast from the morning offerings.

Count Baurendouin said “Good morning! You know, you are certainly welcome to have your breakfast in bed as the other ladies of the house prefer to do.”

Quin fixed her coffee with cream and a bit of sweetener and sat down. “Thank you Uncle, but, I’ve got too much to do to be a lady of leisure.”

Francel snorted and said “I’ll say. I hear Granny can’t decide if she should ground you for coming home so late or sing your praises for having dinner with” and his voice got high and quavering “The Most Eligible Bachelor in Ishgard!”

Quin made a face at him and tossed a small bit of roll at him. “Granny will do neither. It was just dinner.”

Her Uncle smiled and said “Quinly, nothing is “just” in Ishgard, you know, and especially not when it pertains to Lord Aymeric.”

Just as she said “It was just dinner…” for the second time, Jesper, the butler, came into the morning room with a note and a tiny box of chocolates “My lady, these arrived from House Borel just a moment ago.”

Quin ’s mouth dropped open as Francel tossed the bit of roll back at her. “Just dinner” he teased.

“Thank you Jesper. When it’s convenient, could these be placed in my room?” as she took the card. “

My Lady Quinly, Thank you for a lovely evening. I wanted to send flowers, but, seeing as you are a botanist, I thought you might enjoy the desert we missed yesterday. Also, please take these as a sort of …advanced apology. You will understand shortly. Yours, A de B.”

As she was folding up the card, rather dreamily, there was a loud commotion in the hallway. “I’m here to see Lady Quinly. Ser Aymeric sent me to DRESS her! He said that Ishgardian fashion was far too “stuffy” for her, and he sent for me!” Jesper opened the door to the morning room and a tiny Lalafel bounced in …really there was no other word to describe how she entered the room. “Greetings House Haillenarte, I’m Tataru Taru and I’ve been asked to help outfit Lady Quinly suitably for Isghardian Society!”

Quin stood up and said “Mistress Tataru, it’s a pleasure. Perhaps we can go into my sitting room and chat? Jesper, would you send round with some tea and pastry?”

“Oooohhh Aymeric was right when he said you were not suited for conventional Isgardian clothing. Let’s go have a go at measuring you and seeing if anything I have can be quickly altered.” And, with that, Tataru shooed Quinly out of the morning room and up the stairs with her three assistants. When they got to Quinly’s rooms, she was quickly divested of her garments, down to her small clothing. Tataru’s team took her measurements and proceeded to drape her different fabrics.

Quin saw that her skin turned almost translucent, and her hair looked like dark copper when she was draped in rich smoky colors. Tataru also noticed this and said, “Well, these colors aren’t in fashion today, but…soon, when everyone gets a look at you…we’ll see! But don’t you worry Lady Quinly, I’ve got a corner on the market for these fabrics. They are from Doma and King Hien had given me the Royal Warrant for them. No one can have them unless I let them purchase them. This is how I help keep the Scions of the Seventh Dawn in funds!”

Tataru pulled out two dresses, one in a goldenrod , and the other in a slate blue. She put them on Quinly and quickly made alteration marks. Fortunately, the only thing that needed to be altered was the length of the sleeves and a hem placed. Tataru said “I’ve got some lightweight steppe wool outer garments that are fur trimmed. I think they will work better on your delicate frame, rather than the heavy ram’s wool that Ishardians swear by. Now, I’ll have these dresses altered and back to you this afternoon, and my assistants will start on three more. I’ll also have some day outfits made up, along with small cloths that will work better than this..this..stuff you’re wearing that’s more suited to field work. I’ll send all the accessories over too. “

Quin looked appraisingly at Tataru. “Would you also be able to make up some clothing that would be suitable for working in the dirt in the various areas of Coerthas and Dravania? I will be leaving on a trip to Cloudtop next week, and my Gradanian work clothing isn’t warm enough for this area.”

Tataru said “Well, it might be fine for The Dravanian Fore and Hinterlands, but not Cloudtop. Will you be going to Falcons Rest?”

Quin said “Falcons Rest will be last. There isn’t a lot of flora there, but I am very interested in what does grow. I may be able to cross pollinate those specimens with some from other areas and help develop a more cold resistant strain of some plants.”

After looking at Quin again, Tataru said “I think I have just the things. I’ll send them ‘round once I get some alterations made on them as well. That will give us time to gear you up for Falcons Rest.”

Quin said “Excellent! If you don’t mind, please forward the bill to me.”

Tataru laughed and said “I will do just that! But, any cold weather work clothing you will be covered by your initial clothing allowance as dictated by your contract.”

“Mistress Tataru, how do you know so much about my contract?” Quin asked.

Tataru gave a happy laugh and said “Knowledge is currency, and I invest wisely and well!”

Suddenly, the group gathered in Quin’s chambers heard “WWhhiillllahmina! Where are you girl? I need to discuss your conduct last night!”

Tataru grew pale and said “On that note……it's time to leave!” And she and her team exited from a side door.

Quin shook her head and said to herself “Granny simply can’t be that scary. Tataru had to face the Inquisition, and she survived them…….oh well.” She tidied up her hair and dressed quickly and said “Coming Granny!”


	2. L'Entracte Une

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adding a bit of needed background to the story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is to establish a plot line that wouldn't let me go.....

The battle of Ala Mhigo was in full swing. Almost all Alliance forces had been committed to the cause. The Warrior of Light and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn had been taken …..somewhere. Hope was a tenuous thing, particularly in Ishgard, where the neophyte Parliament was maintaining its own, with the Lord Speaker and Commander leading from a distance. Aymerics allies were assisting the best they could. Count Artoirel de Fortemps and his father, along with House Haillenarte, helped stabilize the government. And, in Gradania, a young woman had just earned her Master status in Botany.  
The streets were dark in Ishgard, and the back alleys in the Brume, even darker. Someone waited in the dark for hours, and finally, they arrived. Hands, too thin, were held out, and in them was placed a large bag of gil, and a small, tightly sealed bottle.  
One of the cloaked figures said “Take this to Voor Sian Siran. Dig a small hole at the base of several Birch trees, and pour a small amount of this into the holes. Then, lightly carve this symbol into the trunks of the trees. “  
The larger of the cloaked figures handed the trembling Ishgardian a paper bearing the symbol of Garlamald……..


	3. Chapter 3

Granny Strikes Again

True to her word, Tataru’s assistants had delivered the clothing that had been made for Quin. In addition to clothing she would need in Cloudtop, Quin received several outfits, for both day and the more formal evening wear. Not that her Granny approved! At first, the Dowager was only a little disapproving of the skirt and jacket ensemble that Quin had chosen to wear that morning. It was in a deep, chocolate brown with bits of copper trimming.

The Dowager sniffed and said “For your first meeting with Parliament, you should be dressed more formally.”

Quin smiled and said “Granny, it’s not Parliament; it’s simply the first meeting with the Speaker of the House of Commons, Francel, and a junior member of both houses. “ She neglected to mention that the meeting was at the Congregation and Aymeric had called it. As Quin walked over to where the Dowager was sitting, her skirt moved, revealing that it was split up to the waist and Quin wore a pair of snug pants she had tucked into her boots.

“Willahmina, you will never catch a man by wearing TROUSERS!” the old woman fussed. “No wonder Lord de Borel hasn’t come calling!”

Quin sighed as she saw her _Oncle_ and cousins quietly leave her to Granny’s fussing. “Now, Granny, you know as well as I do, Lord de Borel has a lot on his plate, and so do I. If he chooses to come calling, he will.”

“But my dear, you are going out into the wilds with Laniaitte! She runs with those knights and you know what THAT will do to your reputation! A young lady who has caught the eye of someone so….influential…should have a care for her reputation!” And, with that, the old Dowager went to her room to find her smelling salts.

Quin looked fondly at her grandmother and smiled. She was glad to be home with her family. She missed her parents terribly, but she was happy to be around those who had known them. She looked at the water clock and realized she was running late for her appointment at the Chocobo Stables. Part of her contract included a Chocobo for her use. She was going to check out the birds available on her way to the congregation. She donned her hat and cloak and picked up her satchel that contained her notes and preliminary maps.

The day was cold, but the sun shone, so it seemed warmer than it was. Quin made the decision to use the Aether Crystal to get to the stables and make up some time, even though she became slightly nauseous when she used one. When she emerged, she took a moment to settle her stomach, and then she went to the Chocobo stables and met with the head Chocobo Keep. 

‘Ayep mi’lady, we got the requisition for yer Chocobo and payment has been arranged. Now, all you have to do is pick the bird” the Chocobo Keep said. He motioned for Quin to come with him and he introduced her to all the birds available. 

“Ayep, that will be all of them mi’lady. Any suit your fancy?”

Quin pursed her lips and took another look down the row of stalls. Then, she saw another Chocobo Keep leading in a bird that was a unique shade of gray. 

She looked at the head ‘Keep and asked “What can you tell me about this beauty?”

“Mi’lady, that be Heather Myst. She was bred to be a battle bird, but she be too dainty for that. She’s stubborn and has a temper. We’re thinkin' of sending her off to one of the Grand Companies for a Company Bird. But, yer welcome to take a look at her.”

As they drew closer, Quin could see that the feathers of the bird had lavender cast to them. When Heather Myst looked up and saw the two approaching, she hissed at the ‘Keep, but then took a look at Quin. The bird cocked her head, paused for a moment and gave an inquiring “Kweep?”

Quin went to her and said softly “Aren’t you a beauty! Of course you aren’t a battle bird. You are far too graceful and elegant to be a dusty ole battle bird.”

Heather gave another “KWEEP!” and pranced a bit. Then she extended her neck out to Quin, who took this as in invitation to scratch a spot just on the back of Heather’s head. The Chocobo gave a contented “Kweeeeeeeeep” and pressed her head into Quin’s hand. 

The Head Chocobo Keep and his assistant both looked on in amazement. “Mi’lady, you gots a way with Miss Heather here. I’ve never seen her take to anyone like this before. You done charmed the pin feathers offa her.”

Quin kissed Heathers beak and said “How would you like to come with me to Cloudtop next week and see how we get along?”

The bird flapped her wings and gave a happy series of ‘KWEEE’s” and positively danced.

Quin said to the head Chocobo Keep “I would love to take her with me next week if it’s possible? But, I really think she’s the one!” 

The Chocobo Keep nodded his head and said “I’ll have her sent over to the Haillenart stables first thing this afternoon with the proper tack and barding” as he and his assistant moved back to the center of the stables. 

Quin took a few minutes to bond with the bird. She had a few slices of apple the stable hand had slipped her and she gave Heather one. She was scratching the birds head and whispering sweet nothings to her when she heard a rich voice behind her.

“It looks like you two are getting along quite nicely!” 

Quin jumped a bit and Heather started to peck at someone over Quin’s shoulder and was giving a low “kkkkrrrrrrr….kkkrrrrrrrrrr”.

Turning around, Quin saw Aymeric, dressed in his Temple Knights armor. He was laughing and trying to dodge the pecking Chocobo. “She is quite feisty! I think she will be a very appropriate bird for you!”

Quin reached for Heathers bridle and got the bird under control. She handed Aymeric a slice of apple and said “Make up to my new friend before she dents your fancy armor!”

Aymeric made soothing noises at Heather, and put the bit of apple in his palm and offered it to Heather. At first the bird turned her head away from him and gave a small snort. But he was patient, and eventually, the sweet apple won over the stubborn bird. When he found her itchy spot over her right wing, she sighed and lay her head on his pauldron. Aymeric pulled away and the bird gave a pouting “Kweeeeeppp”.

He said “Don’t worry pretty lady, I’ll see you soon enough!” He turned to Quin and said “Somehow, she suits you! 

Quin said good bye to her new mount and looked inquiringly at Aymeric “I’m not late for our meeting, am I?”

“No, not at all. I just came from a meeting at the Government House, and stopped by House de Haillenarte to see if you wanted to to have lunch with me before our meeting. They directed me here. But…..I’m afraid I was spotted….”

Quin winced and said “Granny?”

Aymeric said “Aye….the Dowager. She got a very suspicious gleam in her eye. But, she’s a dear.”

Quin said “Well, if Granny heard you, we’re damned if we do and damned if we don’t, so we might as well enjoy each other’s company!”

Aymeric took her arm and said “I hope you don’t mind eating at the Congregation. That will save us a bit of time and might be less …crowded.”

Quin arched her eyebrow at him and said “Meaning, although Granny knows you were inviting me to lunch, she doesn’t know for certain and you are going to keep her guessing! Very shrewd, Lord Commander, very shrewd indeed. Granny likes nothing more than a challenge and you’ve just given her the biggest one of her life!”

As they walked to the Congregation, Aymeric said “May I ask you a personal question?” When Quin nodded he continued “House Haillenart didn’t have any daughters in your parents’ generation, and you’re a Haillenart. How come the Dowager referred to your mother as “her favorite daughter”?”

Quin said “Granny and the former Dowager Countess of House Fortemps were best friends, almost from birth. Granny wanted a daughter, but never had one, but Grandmother Fortemps had one, my _maman_. She and Granny were god-mothers to each other’s children. When my _papa_ fell in love with my _maman_ both ladies were so pleased. I’m the bridge that connects the two Houses.” 

She stopped and smiled up at Aymeric and said “And, there must be several Hyur skeletons in the Fortemps wine cellars, because I looked at my Grandmother Fortemps mother’s portrait, I realized I took after her. I’m teased quite a bit by Emmanellain de Fortemps about my ‘Hyur Ears’.”

Aymeric said “And, how is it you ended up in the Botanist Guild, and became a Master Botanist?”

“ _Papa_ was the youngest of the Haillenarte family. He was the one that went into the military. He was stationed in Gradania with the Twin Adders. _maman_ was a white mage, so she was able to be assigned to his regiment. We were very happy in Gradania. I exhibited an interest in plants from a very early age, so I was apprenticed to the Botanist Guild, and Master Fufucha took particular interest in me. When the Battle of Cartenau started _maman_ and _papa_ were sent to the front. Rather than send me back to Ishgard where the danger was greater, and the Dragonsong War was still in full battle, they asked Master Fufucha to accept me full time. I lost them both in the Battle of Carteneau.”

Quin drew in a shuddering breath and Aymeric said “You don’t have to tell me more. I understand how painful it is to lose your parents.”

Quin looked up at Aymeric. He could see tears in her eyes and thought her eyes looked like rain-washed emeralds. She said “Thank you, maybe later”. She put a smile on her face and said “So, that’s how I became a botanist. My master work was curing the Gysahl Greens blight that was threatening the crops in Bentbranch and other places. When I found the cure, I was awarded my ‘golden hatchet’!”

They were at the Congregation and Aymeric nodded at the guard on duty who opened the door. “So, that is really a thing? I thought it was a myth.”

Quin held out her hand and showed Aymeric a bracelet she wore. On it was a tiny golden hatchet charm. “It’s not a myth, but it’s pretty useless. I’m more excited about the Dragonsung hatchets Stephanivien is working on!”

They went into the building and a young squire came up and said “My Lady, might I take your cloak?” Aymeric helped Quin out of her cloak and she took her hat off. 

Aymeric handed both to the young boy and said “Squire David, thank you very much.” The young squire snapped to attention and walked off, a very young man on a mission. 

Another knight nodded at the young boy and grinned at Aymeric and Quin as he walked over. Aymeric said “Lady de Haillenarte, may I introduce you to Second Commander Handeloup de Diambaux. He is in charge of supplies, logistics and training here at the Congregation. Commander, Lady Willahmina de Haillenarte. Quin held out her hand for a handshake, but Handeloup bent over her wrist. Just before he gave it a courtly kiss, he looked over at Aymeric and said “Lady _Willahmina_ de Haillenarte?”

Aymeric gave Handeloup a mock stern look as Quin said “Please, only Granny calls me Willahmina, and she tacks on the other 20 letters. My family calls me Quinly, and my friends seem to prefer Quin. “

Handeloup bowed slightly and said “Lady Quinly, it’s a pleasure to meet you and your other 20 letters. Lord Commander, lunch is set up in your office. You have about a candle mark before the others arrive.”

Then, Aymeric’s Second Commander gave him a look that said “After this meeting, I have some questions.”

Aymeric said pretended not to see Handeoup’s silent communication. “Excellent. Commander, would you join the meeting? As Quin’s first trip in the field does have some strategic import, we should discuss if and how The Knights can support this effort.”

Aymeric placed his hand on the small of Quin’s back and guided her towards the stairs that lead to his office on the second floor. An older squire snapped to attention and opened the door for his Lord Commander. As Quin entered Aymeric’s office, she was struck by several things at once.

His office was sparsely furnished, with few decorations. In fact, at first glance, one would think it plain. However, Quin noticed that the two chairs set before the fireplace were of a soft leather, and well-worn. She knew that if she touched one of them, it would feel as soft as butter. His desk was plain, but the wood was polished and the craftsman who had put it together had an eye for the design of the wood grain. Quin wanted to look at it closer, but was far too polite to do so.

Aymeric pulled out a chair for her and she settled in. As he seated himself, the squire served them both potato and leek soup and some fried codfish puffs. When the squire left, the two began their lunch. When Quin took the first bite of her soup, she was amazed and gave a happy “Ummmmmm”.

Aymeric said “I hope it’s to your liking?”

Quin said “I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I wasn’t expecting “military food” to taste this good!” 

As she went in for another spoonful, Aymeric laughed and said “I completely understand! And until I was named Lord Commander, the food lived up to its reputation. But, I firmly believe that everyone deserves to eat food that tastes good. So, my chef at home comes into work with the cooks at the Congregation several times a month. Not only does it keep the knights happy, it keeps Gor’Don happy as well. Until I was named Lord Speaker, he threatened to quit about every two weeks because he didn’t have anyone to feed.”

Quin looked at Aymeric and said “So, that’s why you were so concerned about what my first priority was when we met! Healthy food that tastes good! I like that Aymeric de Borel. You are a very pleasant surprise!

Aymeric grinned and said “The feeling is very mutual.” And they continued their lunch, chatting about lighter subjects than what they talked about on the way to the Congregation. 

After they ate, Aymeric poured them both a cup of tea. He offered Quin some Birch syrup from the small container that was brought with his tea. Quin shook her head and said “Thank you but, I find Birch syrup too sweet.”

Aymeric sat back and said in an obviously fake shocked tone “Too sweet? There is no such thing!” And he proceeded to put a spoonful in his hot tea and stir it around. He motioned for her to take a seat by the fire as he asked the squire to clear the table for the meeting. Quin walked over to the fire and warmed up a bit. She looked on the mantle and saw there were some candles, snuffers, light-sticks and such. But, she also saw there was a very unusual cup on the mantel as well. She could tell it was finely made, as the light seemed to glow through the china. The design was in colors and a motif she had never seen before, but what was so striking was that the cup had obviously been broken, and the individual pieces were repaired with gold. It lent a very interesting quality to the cup, and if possible, increased its beauty. While she longed to touch it, she refrained, as she sensed this was a very special piece.

Aymeric saw what she was looking at and said as he walked over to her “Ah…you found one of my treasures. That’s from a dear friend. He is somewhat of a goldsmith, and while he was in Orthard, he studied Kintsugi, the art of repairing broken items with gold. He sent it to me to remind me that even when something has been broken; it is possible to rebuild it even stronger with the right material and care.”

Quin said “There is a story behind this, isn’t there.”

Aymeric touched her face and said, in a voice that was somehow softer and more vulnerable “Aye, and, when we have time, I’ll tell you all about it. But, if I’m not mistaken, our other participants are here.”

And, with that, a knock sounded on Aymerics office door and at his bidding, Handeloup opened the door and the Speaker of the House of Commons, her cousin Francel de Haillenart in his role as the Restoration Overseer, and the junior member of both the House of Lords and House of Commons came in. Introductions were made as Francel whispered in a loud voice “Just lunch????”

Quin stepped on his foot and moved to her chair. Again, Aymeric seated her and the rest of the committee sat as he did. 

The meeting got started. Quin went right to business. She outlined her plans to visit each territory in the Coerthas Region, including the Dravanian lands now that there was a tenuous peace. She said “My first priority is to see how the Heavens Lemon trees are faring. Ishgard and the Holy See needs its own dependable source of citrus. While I don’t want to “change” the botanical profile of the regions, I would like to try to stabilize our trees and possibly cross pollinate some of them with another citrus that is cold hardy. The Calamity didn’t give our crops a chance to adapt to the new climate, so we need to see what we can stand up, stabilize or look at relocating. I also want to get an idea of what types of diseases and blights we have that could decimate our existing crops should the environment shift slightly warmer. Most of them are dormant, but with a few extra degrees, we could have a problem.”

Aymeric sat back and listened attentively, however, a small part of his mind was occupied with the fact that not only was Quin de Haillenarte lovely, funny and kind, she was extremely intelligent; in fact he was honestly surprised that the apprenticeship programs provided such a high level of business and strategic planning.

Quin continued “If we can stand our Heavens Lemon trees up and they produce enough fruit, we could market some of them as ‘artisanal’ fruit. They are rare, and that should help drive up the price. We couldn’t sell a lot of several years, but I do think that we could get the crop to a level where it can sustain a small group of farmers and turn a nice profit. “

The Speaker of the House of Commons, Master Miner La Roche, said “Lady de Haillenart, this sounds like an excellent plan. Now, what do you need to get started?”

Quin gave a rueful grin and said “Well, to start, I would like to have a glass house where I can grow both plants for possible cross-breeding, repopulation and reseeding, and grow and examine specimens in a safe environment I can clean. If I find any disease or parasitic infections, I can identify them and determine how to best treat. I would also like to start training some apprentices and have some able bodied team members. The Botanist Guild provided me with enough supplies to do my initial survey. In exchange, they would like to have a record of what I find, if it meets this committee’s approval.” 

Handeloup said “I could send a team of 2 Knights and 8 trainees with you to Cloudtop. It would give them an opportunity to learn to function with the Rose Knights, as well as provide them with some practical “hands in the dirt” work. What other qualifications do they need besides strong arms and tools?”

Quinly said “That would be very much appreciated. If possible, excellent penmanship would be good. We will be taking lots of notes and making plots so the neater the work, the more useful it will be.”

While further discussion swirled around, Aymeric looked thoughtful. During a lull in the conversation, Handeloup asked him what he was thinking.

Aymeric said “I might have a solution to the glass house. Lady Quinly, if you are free this evening, I would like to show you what I have in mind.” Handeloup raised both eyebrows and didn’t try to hide it.

Quin hoped no one noticed the blush on her cheeks as she nodded and said “I have no plans.” She looked quickly at Francel and was only slightly relieved to see him looking at the papers in front of him. 

Just then, the gathering in Aymerics office heard the start of a large commotion on the stairs. Frantic knocking sounded on Aymerics office door. They heard the unformed voice of a junior squire saying “Ye can’t go in there! Lord Commander’s door is closed! “

Aymeric and Handeloup both readied their weapons. Aymeric gave a firm “Enter” that let those outside the door know he was not pleased at the interruption. Handeloup pulled the door open quickly. 

They were met with a red-faced squire who was almost in tears. “Lord Commander, I tried, but she pushed by and said she had to be here for the ….”

“Willahmina…what is the meaning of holding a meeting to discuss the beautification of the Firmament and The Holy See without me! “ And the Dowager Countess of House de Haillenarte pushed into Aymerics office. As she sailed in, she gave Handeloup a look of pure disgust as she pushed his sword hand down. 

The junior members of Parliament looked shocked and stunned in equal measures. The Speaker of the House of Commons quickly gave up his chair for the Dowager and looked at Aymeric in surprise. Quinly placed her face in her hands as Handeloup soothed the little squire saying “You did well. You stood your ground. We’ll talk later” and gave the child a wink to let him know that he wasn’t in trouble.

Aymeric stood down and said “Dowager Countess, to what do we owe this honor?” as he kissed her proffered hand.

“I’m here to discuss my thoughts and plans for the gardens and landscaping Willahmina will be creating for the betterment of the downtrodden! I’m most upset that you didn’t invite me for lunch with the Lord Speaker Willahmina Quienliella Antionette de Haillenarte!” the Dowager scolded her granddaughter. 

Quin quickly recovered and said “Granny, we were just getting to that” and quickly pulled out a small map of the orphanage. “I plan to plant herbs and vegetables in the back of the orphangage to help them become more self-sufficient and teach the children some botany. I’m also planning to plant some cold-hardy poppies in remembrance of those who gave their lives for Ishgard.” Quin passed the map over to her grandmother. She continued with some nebulous chatter about gardens and landscaping. It was clear to all that Quin was adept at handling her Granny and gave her the means to feel needed and essential to the process.

The Dowager looked over the top of her spectacles, scrutinized the drawing briefly and said “You need to plant roses for our house.” She stood up and said “This has been a most productive meeting. I look forward to the next one.” 

And, as quickly as she arrived, she made ready to leave. Ignoring the shocked looks that passed around the table, Aymeric helped her into her cloak and passed her deftly to Lucia who had arrived to see what the commotion was about. 

Just prior to leaving Aymerics office The Dowager looked at him and said “Lord Speaker, I expect you for dinner one evening, soon. We need to discuss your intentions towards my Willahmina.”

Quin lost her composure at that and said “GRANNY!” And the old woman cackled happily as Lucia escorted her out of the Congregation. Francel gave up on any sense of decorum and burst out laughing. “Just dinner indeed!” he wheezed.

The Speaker of the House of Commons said with his own smile “Ah, yes. Well, the Dowager Countess is certainly a law unto herself. We made very good progress before she arrived; I would suggest we meet again when Lady Quinly returns from Cloudtop. “

Quin spoke up and said “Also, perhaps we should give Granny a time for the next meeting, perhaps two hours after we’ve started. She doesn’t want to sit in long meetings, but she does like to feel she has an input into the business of Ishgard.”

Aymeric was still chuckling as he said “Ahh..more management of the Dowager Countess. I think that could be arranged, if all are in agreement.” Heads nodded all around.

The group was gathering their papers and heavy gear in preparation go out into the cold and on to their next appointments. Aymeric and Handeloup had a quick and quiet conversation off to the side, then Aymeric came over to help Quin with her coat and said “Lady Quinly, I have a meeting with Count Artoirel at 5 bells, perhaps I could pick you up and we could have dinner after we discuss my possible solution?”

Quin blushed softly and said “I’m free and dinner sounds lovely.” Aymeric kissed her hand and escorted her out of his office in into the care of a senior squire and Francel. As Aymeric was closing the door he heard Francel say “Another “just dinner”? Granny will really be beside herself!” He couldn’t hear Quin’s retort, but, judging by the good natured teasing, he could tell that she and her cousin had developed a close and friendly relationship in the short time she had been home.

With the door closed, Aymeric saw that Handeloup had poured two small glasses of Lomensin Whisky. Aymeric motioned to the two chairs near the fire, and his friend sat down as he handed Aymeric the glass filled with an amber liquid.

“Lady Willahmina de Haillenarte. This will be the second dinner you’ve had with her, you’ve had me cancel all your meetings this evening, and you are putting up with the most notorious matchmaker in all of The Holy See.” Handeloup took a small sip of his whiskey and continued “You look happy for the first time in a very long time. And, if what you are going to suggest for a glass house is what I think it is, you are letting a woman into a very personal space. What’s going on?”

Aymeric sat back, took a sip of whisky and looked at his friend. “I don’t quite know. I want to say Quin is a novelty and that she will be like all the other ladies in Ishgard, vapid and boring. But, Handeloup, she’s not. She is funny, smart, beautiful in a very unique way, and she is kind. Today, she amazed me with her knowledge of business as well as botany. She is like a breath of fresh, rain-washed air in the hot desert. I know I shouldn’t let this go anywhere, but damn……” and he sat forward and looked into the fire.

Eventually, Handeloup said “Aside from her matchmaking pit-bull of a grandmother, the problem is, exactly what?”

Aymeric said “Quite frankly, I’m afraid all the baggage that comes with me will scare her off. “

Handeloup simply sat for a few moments and enjoyed the sight of his normally composed and collected friend wrestling with something he was not prepared for. Finally, he said “ ‘Ric, maybe you should let this “go somewhere”. Ishgard is stable right now; and while you spend most of your time chasing down Parliament and papers, you are on the path to creating a government that will see all of Ishgard into her future. If Quin is half as invested in the success of Ishgard as she seems to be, she could rival you in your devotion to a cause. “

Handeloup continued “And, what…you had dinner, sent her chocolates from your favorite shop, and had lunch with her. Now, you’re going to show her your mothers glass house to see if she can use it for her work. She’s been back in Ishgard for what, 5 days? Aymeric, you’re smitten. And full glad am I to see it!”

Aymeric looked at his friend and said in his best politicians voice “Smitten? What makes you think I’m smitten?”

Handeloup laughed and took a drink of whisky “You called her a lovely young lady the first time you saw her and took her to dinner at your favorite ‘hidey hole’. You sent her chocolates, and I bet they were from your favorite confectionary. You are worried about her and how she will react to any public pressure. You can’t keep your eyes off her, especially when she walks away from you and you hang on every word she says. My friend, you are smitten. Enjoy yourself. Halone knows you don’t enjoy yourself enough.”

After another pause that only two friends can share when discussing serious matters, Aymeric said “Handeloup, for the first time, I’m actually excited about getting to know a woman, and having her get to know me.”

Handeloup gave a fond sharp laugh “Well, she doesn’t seem at all impressed with your 1000 titles, and she genuinely seems interested in you. “

“ ‘Ric”, Handeloup continued, a bit more seriously “since Haurchefant died, you’ve pretty much been on your own. And, while I won’t tell you how to live your life, I will tell you that marrying Isobel and having Maddie is the best thing that I could have done. They complete me in ways I never thought I needed completing. And, knowing I have someone to come home to makes even the hardest day somehow brighter. So, my advice to you would be” and he stood up and put his hand on his friend’s shoulder “Just relax and have fun. Get to know a beautiful , intelligent, independent woman who isn’t overawed by you and just see where this goes. You just might surprise yourself.”

Aymeric stood up and said “I need to see my _mignonette_ soon. I miss that little scamp.”

“Maddie misses her uncle as well. I’ll talk with Izzy and we’ll have you for dinner soon.”

Aymeric said “Thank you again my friend.”

Handeloup said “Any time.” And, then, he slipped back into his role as Second Commander, gave a short bow and said “Lord Commander, I believe you have a meeting at House Fortemps?”


	4. Glass as Fine as Ice

Aymeric had finished his meeting with Count Artoile and Lord Edmont. When he knocked at the door of House Haillenarte to pick up Quin, he was greeted by a profoundly serious and somber Jesper. 

“Lord Speaker, if you please, The Dowager Countess would like a word.” And, without another word, the Butler escorted Aymeric into a small parlor. When he went in, he noticed that it was done up in burgundy and pink, with heavy furniture.

From a corner, a voice uttered “Viscount de Borel, its good of you to come to pay your respects.” And, with that, the Dowager Countess walked across the room and peered at Aymeric as if to inspect a particularly curious looking creature that one of her grandchildren had presented her with. The Matriarch of House Haillenarte sat down in a comfortable chair by the fire and motioned for Aymeric to take a slightly smaller, slightly less comfortable chair across from her. 

“So, I understand that you will be taking my Willahmina to dinner again?”

Aymeric cleared his throat, suddenly more nervous than if he was facing Hrasfelgar for the first time. “Aye, and there will be a proper chaperone there. My aunt, Lady Peregrine has come up from the winery for a visit. She was kind enough to agree to be present to make sure that Lady Quinly felt entirely comfortable in my home.” Aymeric neglected to tell the Dowager that his Aunt had plans with Lord Edmont de Fortemps. 

The Dowager replied “Ahhh, I see.” And she sat there, letting Aymeric stew and wait in extreme discomfort while she continued to look at him. After a moment, she asked “And, do you intend to see my Willahmina again? For, if you do, I would ask that you not toy with her reputation or her heart.”

Aymeric was taken by a coughing fit. 

Fortunately, Stephanivien had arrived home and came in to greet his grandmother. “Granny! Why do you have Lord Aymeric cornered like a particularly tasty piece of cake?” Stephanivien held out his hand and Aymeric gratefully stood and shook it. “Lord Speaker, please excuse Granny. She feels a bit …protective…over Quin. But if you could see that girl swing a hatchet, you would know she does not need protecting. I could use her at Skysteel if she would just give up those darn plants!”

Aymeric and Stephanivien exchanged pleasantries while the Dowager dozed off. Shortly, Quin came into the parlor. “Oh Aymeric, I’m so sorry. If I would have known that Granny was lying in wait, I would have come down sooner.”

Aymeric smiled “Its all right. I think I wore her out. And, it was good to catch up with Stephanivien.” The two men decided to meet for lunch one afternoon, then Aymeric and Quin prepared to leave. Quin walked over to the Dowagers chair and kissed her gently on the forehead. She whispered, “Goodnight Granny.”

Just as she turned, an acid-sharp voice said “Viscount, I expect you to have my granddaughter home at a respectable hour!”

Aymeric and Quin walked to his home. It was on a quiet street and was one of the few that had a large back yard. Aymeric opened a small gate that looked to be overgrown with vines. 

“Here’s what I want to show you. It was my mothers and has been sitting abandoned since she died.” And Aymeric led Quin up to a rather large glass house. 

The house was protected by several cleverly placed stone walls that served as baffles from the winds. The position of the property was also out of the path of the north winds. Although Borel House boasted of one of the best positions to protect it against the weather, and backed up to a park, its location on the perimeter of The Pillars made it less than desirable for the higher Houses to have been interested in. Aymerics great grandfather saw the value of the property and asked for it as a reward for services rendered to Ishgard. 

The glass house itself was completely charming. Instead of straight plain supports and braces, those that held up this glass house were dainty and very feminine. Quin breathed in and whispered, “Its lovely!”

Aymeric smiled and opened the door and motioned for Quin to enter. There were planting beds that, while filled with dead or struggling plants, were obviously laid out with care. There were several trees and numerous bushes. Quin took out a pen knife and looked at Aymeric “May I check one of the plants?”

“Of course! I’m eager to see what you find.”

Quin gently cut off a small branch of a plant that looked rather…. dead. She gently scraped off the covering of the branch. She held it out to Aymeric and said “Look, you can see the green! I think that some of these have gone dormant. While they need more heat to thrive, I think that the temperature was stable enough that they simply went dormant.”

Aymeric inquired “Do you think that more may have survived?”

“I do! If you like, I’ll be happy to do a check on them and let you know what I find.”

Aymeric grinned “I’ll do you one better. In exchange for getting the glass house in some semblance of order, and letting me know what repairs and updates need to be made, I would be more than happy if you would consider using my mother’s glass house for your work.”

Quin gave Aymeric a dazzling smile “Are you sure? This was your mother’s special place. “

“Quin, nothing would make me happier than to see something my mother loved come back to life again.”

Quin looked around and noted “Would you mind if I had Stephanivien come out to take a look at the heaters, water systems and the structural integrity?” She took a quick walk around and Aymeric was amused to hear her mental notes. “I think this would be a good location for a quarantine area, this would be good for hardening off, I could set up my workstation here… and OH! What a charming desk!”

Aymeric walked over to where Quin was standing. “I remember _mama_ working here. She had all sorts of diagrams and notes. If you come across any of them, please, feel free to read them and use them to try to make a semblance of this mess. I’ll see if any of the Squires are free to help with the cleanup.”

Quin said “It will take a while to get things in order. But I think we can put a rather good dent in it before I leave for Cloudtop. But…. No peaking!”

Aymeric took her arm and laughed “All right….no peaking until you say I can look.” And, the two walked towards Borel House. 

Dinner was a gooey onion soup followed by Dzemael Gratin. Aymerics butler, Cardwell, served dinner and the wine. After dinner, Aymeric took her into the ‘back stairs’ area of the house and introduced her to Cardwell, his wife who served as housekeeper, and Gor’Don. Quin noticed that Aymeric treated his staff as if the were family. While they were not comfortable, except for Gor’Don, greeting the Lord’s guest, and a Lady of a High House, Quin quickly put them at their ease. Gor’Don made everyone laugh when he said, “I hope he didn’t bring you around just so I wouldn’t threaten to quit this week!”

Cardwell said, “My Lord, would you have desert in the library?”

“Aye, and could I bother you for a bottle of the port that came up last week from the winery?”

With a bow, Cardwell affirmed “Very good My Lord,” clearly dismissing his employer and his guest to get on with their evening.

Aymeric took Quin on a quick tour of the bottom floor of his home. She could see that it was simple, yet elegant. However, it needed some updating and love. When they reached the library, Quin’s eye was immediately caught by a table near a window that looked somehow familiar.

She walked over to it and took a closer look. She noticed that the wood was remarkably similar to what made Aymerics desk at the Congregation. “Now, this is lovely! How did you get two pieces from the same tree and the same carpenter?”

Aymeric walked over and asked, “How did you know both pieces were from the same tree and person?”

“The wood grain. When you go back to your office, notice how the patterns are terribly similar. If I’m not mistaken this is Beech, but the cut and style aren’t familiar to me. Its almost as if it didn’t come from Eorzia at all.”

Aymeric looked at her and said “It didn’t. A friend from Orthard brought it on his first visit after I became Lord Speaker.”

Quin said, “There’s a story there?”

Aymeric motioned for her to take a seat near the fire. He handed Quin a plate that contained a simple brownie with chocolate icing. “Aye, there is. Eat your brownie and I’ll tell you about it.”

While Quin nibbled on her treat, Aymeric told her of the time he first spent a significant amount of time with Hien Rijin during the negotiations with Emperor Varis zos Galvus. “After that miserable meeting, Hien invited me to join him for a drink called Sake. It is one of those amazingly easy friendships that sprang up, almost out of nowhere. While Hien and I have philosophical differences about government, Orthard have become a good partner in the Alliance and Hien, a great friend. When he made his first State Visit to Ishgard, he brought me the table and desk. He said that ‘a good desk is half the trick to governing’. He was not fully correct…. I think that sake has something to do with it!”

When Quin stopped laughing, she asked “So, would you mind telling me about the differences between the Ishgardian and Orthard style of government. I know that Ishgard is moving towards a republic style of government, but Orthard? That is an area that I didn’t learn about in my botany studies.”

Aymeric looked at her, slightly surprised that she would ask about government “Well, I’ll tell you if you promise you won’t go haring off to Orthard in search of new plants! Hien’s father was the King of Orthard. The seat of the kingdom was in Doma. But, when the Garleans invaded, his father was assassinated. Some of the late king’s retainers smuggled Hien out of the castle and onto the Azem Steppes. He lived there for several years and allowed his country to self-determine. Garlamald did not think that the Steppes were worth their time, so Hien remained there in relative safety but didn’t see what was going on with his people. It wasn’t until the Scions and the Warrior of Light arrived and convinced him to at least talk to his people that he acted. So, Hien is now King of Doma, but he has a strong cadre of samurai advisors.”

Quin said “I can see how you two would form a friendship. I can see there is much you share.” She nibbled on her brownie for a moment then smiled at Aymeric “And that explains Mistress Tataru’s Royal Warrant! I haven’t thanked you for that. Tataru and her assistant’s style is unique, and I do appreciate it. Plus, her clothing is practical.”

Aymeric looked at her, an evaluating look on his face “And, what if you were faced with a situation where you had to wear something totally frivolous and impractical?

Quin looked up and bit her lip. “I think I would like something made of the stars. Something dreamy, misty and oh so exotic! If I were to go frivolous, that’s what I would want.”

Quin had been sitting alone on a slightly worn, but extremely comfortable sofa. Aymeric took both their brownie plates and placed them on a small table just inside the door. When he came back over, he sat next to her on the sofa. He turned to face her and placed his arm over the back of the sofa, almost, but not quite, touching her shoulders. “So, tell me about your visit to Cloudtops.”

Quin outlined her plans to visit the major areas, then spend some time with the Lemonette trees. “While I hear that there is one of the only crops of Birch trees on this side of the star, I do have to focus on the Lemonette trees. But, just for you, I’ll make sure the Birch are doing well.”

Aymeric laughed “Thank you so very much! That is one thing I look forward to.”

The two spent a few awkward minutes chatting, then Aymeric grew bold. “Quin, come here” he murmured and moved his arm to reach around her shoulders. He leaned back and drew her down into his embrace. Quin stiffened up, ever so slightly, but was able to relax when she realized all Aymeric wanted was to simply hold her. She squirmed around until she got comfortable, which wasn’t easy considering that, while he had removed the larger pieces of armor, he was still dressed for the day.

”Quin, does being this close to me bother you so much? You are squirming worse than my cat when he doesn’t want to be held.”

She looked up at him saucily and said, “No, I find I quite like being held in your arms, but if you didn’t have to wear so much metal, I wouldn’t have to squirm so much!” 

Aymeric laughed “Next time, not so much metal.”

Quin retorted “I leave my hatchets and scythes elsewhere so you don’t have to impersonate a glorious tin-can when we’re together!”

“Ha ha! Lucia and Handeloup might just have something to say about that.”

Quin looked up at Aymeric and said “Well, neither Lucia nor Handeloup are here to be poked in their tickle-spots by your boney armor.”

“Boney? Did you really call my armor ‘boney’?” Aymeric looked at Quin and shook his head, with a happy laugh. 

“Aye, I did, and if I don’t get home soon, I’ll have bruises from your boney armor! Besides, if I’m to get the glass house ready for my return, I need to get Stephanivien over here and some help to get it cleaned out and set up.” 

Aymeric stood up and held out his hand to Quin “I think I can arrange for help with the clean up while you are gone. Just figure out what you need, and I’ll see that it gets done.”

Quin smiled and said “And, in return, ……well……you won’t be disappointed.” 

After getting into their outdoor gear, Aymeric walked Quin home, starting a happy habit between the two. His escort was particularly pleased to see their Lord Commander happy again. It had been far too long since they saw him laugh. 

Understandably, but unfortunately, no one noticed the cloaked figure lurking the dark shadows near Borel House.


	5. L'Entracte Deux

In a dark alley, not far from The Pillars, a figure opened a device not unlike a link pearl. However, this device was far more powerful. A crackling filled the air and the person hiding appeared to turn a knob. The crackling cleared, and a voice on the other end of the connection said, “What is your report?”

“My Lord, Parliament brought in a Master Botanist to work on agriculture recovery. She is due in Cloudtop the day after tomorrow. Reports are that she will be focusing solely on a survey of the major areas and the plants that grow there. She is also going to be inspecting the Lemonette trees. But that will take her dangerously close to Voor Sian Siran.”

The voice on the other end was silent for a moment, then with a menace in his voice said “And, you are bothering me with an insignificant female, exactly why? She is a girl who plays with plants. Even if she does go to Voor Sian Siran, I expect she will not find anything of interest. The neo-helminths should not be detectable. They can only be detected by microscopic examination, and then, someone would have to know exactly what to look for. And, that technology is exclusive to Garlean Empire. “ The voice paused then continued “None the less, you did well in reporting this to me. Keep an eye on the problem, and if it persists, eliminate it. Ishgard is the weakest link in the Alliance currently, and our successful infiltration and destruction of its budding republic is key to our rebuilding. You must regain control of the Holy See.”

The figure said, “Very good my Lord.” Then, the device was tucked away into the pocket of a uniform of the Temple Knights.


	6. Flame of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to get interesting (IMHO). Non-descriptive mentions of violence, torture and rape.

On Sunday morning, the day before she was to leave for The Sea of Clouds, Quin took a few moments to reflect on all that had happened in the last 10 days. Aside from getting the nod from the Parliamentary Committee working with her, she had also gotten plans for the refurbishment of Aymeric de Borel’s glass house underway. She would be gone for three weeks and in that time, she had given Aymeric a solid set of plans to get any structural, water, light and heat system repairs completed. Her cousin, Stephanivien was overseeing the project and had Cid Garlond on board as well. They were planning a security system and ways to adapt some emerging technology to assist Quin in her work. 

She and the Knights and Squires who would be accompanying her had cleaned out the inside of the glass house and disposed of any plants that were either dead or too diseased to be viable. They also repotted any plants that had the potential of survival, and Quin showed them how to identify and catalogue them. It was good training for their upcoming field work. She would be bringing in some healthy soil to refurbish the flower beds on her return. All in all, she was pleased with the progress she had made. While she was gone, the House Haillenarte garden staff would be checking on the plants in the glass house and making sure they had sufficient water and the air was sufficiently warm.

There was a knock on her door “Come on sleepyhead! We’ll be late for church and you know how Granny hates that!” Francel called.

Quin opened the door before he could back away. She was dressed and already in her coat, hat, and gloves. Her outfit was a light slate blue, trimmed in a light, white wool from the Azem Steppe. While it was shorter than normal Ishgardian fashion, it still reached her ankles, so she was within the bounds of propriety. “Now, tell me who is going to make us late?”as she looked at Francel’s disheveled appearance. She kissed him on the cheek and said, “Thank you for checking on me!”

Once the family was assembled, they walked, as a group, to the Cathedral. Quin was introduced to friends and acquaintances before the family went into the Cathedral for the service. As she was walking in, she felt something brush her palm and she instinctively closed around the object. She could not see who had passed it to her. When she was seated, she looked and saw a tightly folded note. Opening it discretely, she read:

_I am sorry I have not been able to reach out before now. If I can break away, may I see you  
sometime today?   
A de B_

The handwriting, while familiar, was obviously rushed. She smiled quietly to herself and tucked the note away in her ridiculously tiny purse. 

After the service was over, and she was walking out of the building, she felt a hand take her elbow. Thinking it was Aymeric, she smiled and turned. When she did, the person she faced filled her with an atavistic fear. 

“Lady de Haillenarte, allow me to introduce myself. I am Merovech de Leusignac. Welcome to Ishgard and the Holy See. If Count de Haillenarte will allow, may I see you home?” A tall, muscular man held on to her elbow possessively. When Quin looked in his eyes, she saw they were a cold gray. 

Quin looked at her uncle who gave her a look of concern but nodded his head. “It would be an honor, Ser Merovech.” While Quin and Ser Merovech walked behind her uncle and aunt, the Dowager grabbed Francel and Stephanivien by the arms and said “Walk with me grandsons. I find I needs go slower than normal due to the ice and the cold.” She directed them to walk a few feet behind Quin and Ser Merovech. Fortunately, Francel was wise enough not to point out that there was absolutely no ice on the walkways this morning. 

For the most part, Quin was able to keep up running small talk with Merovech, however, her bubbly personality was considerably dampened. She did not have good feelings about the man at all. When they arrived at House Haillenarte, he rudely and possessively took the glove off her right hand and raised it to his lips. Just as he kissed it, the tiny gold hatchet charm winked in the sun at him. He looked closer at the charm and said” And this symbol of Nophica is exactly what?”

Quin fought the desire to jerk her hand away from his and said “It’s the ‘golden hatchet’ every Master Botanist receives when they earn their status. As Nophica is the patron of plants, I’m sure it is meant to honor her.”

“Very interesting, Lady de Haillenarte. I’m relieved to see you attended the service in Halone’s chosen Cathedral then, as a proper Ishgardian woman.” And he looked down at the toes of her shoes that were showing just under the hem of her coat. “I look forward to our next meeting then.” After bowing to her family, he turned and walked away.

Stephanivien and Francel immediately moved to her side and hurried her and the Dowager inside. Count de Haillenarte was waiting for them and asked them all to come into his study. Once they were in and the door closed, Count de Haillenarte said “Niece, you certainly do attract attention.”

“ _Oncle_ , I know what his name is, but …exactly who is he?” 

“That is probably one of the most under-estimated and under-recognized threats in Ishgard. The de Leusignac’s are incredibly involved in what most people think of as the underbelly of the Ishgardian Orthodoxy. Charibert de Leusignac was one of the most feared members of the Heavens Ward. He could command fire and was believed to have honed that skill on those individuals who were unfortunate enough to have captured the attention of the Inquisition. His reputation was that of a sadist” explained the Count.

“But, after Archbishop Thordan VII fled with Charibert and Zephirin de Valhourdin and the other 10 members of the Heavens Ward, the Warrior of Light and Estinien Wyrmblood hunted them down and killed them after realizing they had been fully tempered.” Stephanivien continued. 

“He definitely made me uncomfortable, so I am glad he didn’t ask to spend time with me, even without your information. But I do thank you for it and I’ll be on my guard when I get back.” Quin stated as the family went into the dining room for lunch.

After lunch, Quin finished packing and asked Stephanivien to walk her to the glass house to pick up some tools, maps, and other miscellaneous items she wanted to take with her to Cloudtop. 

“I’ll walk with you only if we can stop by the Sky Steel first. I have something I want to show you.” Stephanivien grinned at his cousin. They prepared to leave there was a knock at the door. Jesper opened the door and stepped aside and said “Lady Willahmina, you have a caller.”

Quin and Stephanivien came around the corner and saw Aymeric walking through the door. He greeted the cousins and said, “I do apologize Quin, I didn’t realize you had plans.” 

The Dowager, who just “happened” to be walking by the front hall snorted “Nonsense! My grandson is just taking my granddaughter to that dirty foundry to show her some silly hatchet. He can do that later.”

Stephanivien grinned and said “Lord Speaker, perhaps you would like to come with us. I have a prototype that I would like Quin to take with her when she leaves. Then, if you do not mind, perhaps she could walk with you to the glass house to pick up her last-minute things.”

Aymeric said “That sounds like a good idea. Then, perhaps you would care to have dinner with me Quin?”

Blushing furiously as her entire family and part of the staff had managed to gather in the entry “I would like that very much.” 

  
Aymeric did not miss the significant look that the heir to House Haillenarte exchanged with his father. 

The trio reached Sky Steel Manufactory which was rather noisy for a Sunday. The artisans enjoyed taking some time when there was no expectation of work to be completed to focus on their own creations. Stephanivien brought a long wooden box to Quin and said, “Open it.”

When she did, she gasped. Lying inside was an elegant, finely honed hatchet. Quin looked at Stephanivien and at his nod, she picked it up. She tested its balance and the sharpness of the blade. Steph said “Would ya like to try it?”

Quin’s eyes grew big and she nodded. Stephanivien led the other two out to a small yard in the back that stored coal and wood. He pointed to some of the larger logs and said, “Get to it _cousine_!”

While Quin was testing the new hatchet, Aymeric said “Stephanivien, what happened this afternoon?”

“Aymeric, she’s caught the attention of Merovech. While he did not ask her to accompany him anywhere, he did walk her home and made some comments about her hatchet charm and proper Ishgardian ladies.”

“Do you think we should cancel her visit to Cloudtop?” Aymeric asked out of an abundance of caution.

“No, Papa thinks it’s good she gets out of The Holy See for a few weeks. She will be with Laniaitte and the Rose Knights as well as the Temple Knights that have been assigned to her.” Stephanivien said. 

He turned to look at the Lord Speaker. “I’m going to presume on our years of friendship and say something. You need to talk to her before anyone else does. She needs to know what these people are capable of, and I do not want to violate your privacy. But, damn it Aymeric, she is growing on me, and if she were not MY cousin, you would have some competition. Quin is surprisingly strong and if she can survive the loss of her parents, she can deal with this.”

“What does she know?” Aymeric asked seriously. 

“All we told her was that he was in Inquisitor, his brother was a member of the Heavens Ward who turned primal with Archbishop Thordan and that the Warrior of Light and Estinien had to kill them. When you started seeing Quin, father and I talked about whether we should talk to her, but” and he laughed “Granny told us to mind our own business and let ‘nature take its course’.”

Aymeric pondered for a moment “Perhaps I should put a stop to our relationship now, before she can get hurt.”

“Aymeric de Borel, get off the self-sacrificing chocobo you are getting ready to ride! Give Quin some credit. She is strong, intelligent and look at that girl swing that hatchet! She can deal with this. You are happier than I have ever seen you, and while I did not spend much time with Quin before she came home, she is incredibly happy as well. Hopefully, this will turn out to be nothing, and Merovech is simply being an ass.”

Quin gave the hatchet a toss in the air and deftly caught it. She wiped it off and placed in in the rosewood box. “Steph, this is wonderful! And you say it’s only a prototype?”

The three walked back into the shop. “Aye, and I will need you to gather a few materials so we can work on developing the next step. Take it with you and I will give you the list of items so you can start working on gathering them in your spare time. We’ll be doing some bartering and trading with the other masters who are getting our prototypes, but I’ll fill you in on those details when you get back.”

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek “Now, go have dinner with that poor knight before he faints from hunger!”

She affectionately swatted at him and said “Silly Steph. If I do not see you when I get home, or in the morning, I will say my goodbyes here. I’ll see you in about three weeks!”

  
After reaching Borel House, Aymeric left Quin at the glass house and asked her to come in and make herself comfortable in the library once she had everything gathered, she wanted to take with her. He kissed her forehead and said, “I need to reach out to someone and then I’m all yours for the evening.”

Quin smiled and said “And, get rid of some of the metal?” 

He backed up and said, “Yes ma’am!”

When he got to the house, he told Cardwell that Quin would be coming in shortly and to make her at home. “Somethings come up and I need to talk with Handeloup and Lucia. I’ll do that in my chamber.”

Cardwell said “Very good, my Lord. I have something light I can serve the lady and the wine is ready.”

Aymeric smiled his thanks as he bounded up the stairs.

Once he took off the light plate, chain, and leather armor he was wearing, he changed into a pair of comfortable pants, a lace up shirt and an Alpine vest. He then settled at the smaller desk he had in the sitting area of his chamber and pinged both Lucia and Handeloup on their linkpearl frequency.

After briefly explaining the situation to them, Lucia was the first to speak. “My lord, I know where your self-sacrificing nature is leading you. I would respectfully encourage you not to go there. If you are truly interested in pursuing a relationship with Lady de Haillenarte, she is far safer if your interest is well known than if you break off with her out of a misguided sense of nobility or self-sacrifice.”

Aymeric winced at the closest thing he had ever received to a dressing down by his respectful first commander. 

Handeloup chimed in “I can easily send a few more knights and squires to keep an eye on her. That is not a hardship. And, I can make a few trips there on the pretext of seeing how they are working out. Lord Commander, we may be jumping at ghosts here, but we can keep her safe enough. I’ll also give the senior knight orders to evacuate her at his discretion and if Merovech shows up.”

The three talked for a few moments more, then Aymeric thanked his commanders and signed off. Just as he was standing up to walk out the door to face Quin with the news that he was not going to see her anymore, his linkpearl chimed.

At his polite answer, Handeloup said “ ‘Ric, now you listen to me. I know what you are going to do, and I am only a block away. If I do not get your word that you will take the three weeks that she is gone to rethink the impulsive, stupid decision you think you need to make, I will be down there in about one minute. And, I’ll drag Izzy with me to knock some sense into your thick skull.”

Aymeric sighed “What if I can’t protect her? What if I get her killed like I did Haurchefant?”

“Why don’t you let Quin make that decision? And, while you can take all the steps we are taking to protect her, she will never forgive you for taking that decision away from her. Just as Haurchefant would not have thanked you for stopping him or blaming yourself for his death. Talk to her Aymeric, and sooner, rather than later. You never know what she will hear or when she will hear it. I think she can handle whatever you have gone through, and if she cannot, you will find out soon enough. Then the decision will be made for you. But something tells me that this one…she’s someone incredibly special and you may have a hard time convincing her that you aren’t as well.”  
  
Aymeric sighed heavily “Handeloup, we’ll talk more tomorrow. Now, I need to go down and see if I can scare her off. I only hope she has the sense to run back to Gridania when she hears about all my baggage.”

Handeloup said “ ‘Ric, for someone who is so politically astute, you are really bad at reading people close to you.”

After dinner, Aymeric invited Quin back into the library. She walked towards a single chair by the fire, but he took her hand and pulled her down onto the sofa they had tried to cuddle on previously. This time when he took her in his arms she settled with a contented sigh.

“Better?” he asked.

“Much better. I was afraid I had offended you with the tin can comments” she laughed.

“Ah Quin, it will take more than the truth to offend me.” 

They sat looking at the fire for a few minutes and Aymeric sat up and turned her to face him. “Quin, there is something I need to talk to you about. I wanted to wait until you got back from Cloudtop and see if what I think is developing between us fizzled out. But, now that the Inquisition is rearing its ugly head, the time must be now. “

Quin nodded seriously and said “All right. I trust you; you are far more astute about the ins and outs of Ishgard than I could ever be. And, my family has been acting strange since we left the Cathedral this morning.”

“Do you remember the teacup you saw sitting on the mantle in my office?” At Quin’s nod, Aymeric continued “We have got time now, so I want to tell you about it. You see, the Warrior of Light made it for me. It all started when I thought I knew better how to handle things for everyone and could handle them better than anyone………”

And as the evening changed to night, Aymeric told Quin the whole story about his father and his parents, his mad rush to confront his father, Archbishop Thordan VII. He told her about his rape and torture in the Vault at the hands of Zephirin de Valhourdin. He told her about how Haurchefant had sacrificed himself to save the Warrior of Light and him. He shared the anguish and the absolute certainty about the need to order his fathers death, and how he feared he would lose his soul over what he went through. There was a lot of pacing, curses, and clenched fists. 

And through it all, Quin sat and listened. And as she did, Aymeric realized she offered a peaceful, quiet, and safe place. And, while he did not know if she would decide that what he would bring to a relationship was too much to handle, he realized that she would never judge him. 

“So, while I was trying to put myself back together, run a war with a horde of dragons, form a bicaudal government, make peace with the dragons, survive an assassination attempt, save another friend and bring Ishgard back into the Eorzian Alliance, the Warrior of Light sent me the teacup. He said that in Hingasian Tradition, a broken piece of china was repaired with gold, and that the repair made the fragile vessel even stronger and more beautiful. It took me a while to really learn that lesson, but eventually I did. “

He sat down next to her again and said, “There is one more thing that I need to tell you about, rather show you.” He undid the laces of his tunic and pulled aside his shirt. On his skin, Quin could see the hand-shaped scar of burned skin on the left side of his chest.

He pulled the laces tight after she had seen it. “This is a souvenir of my torture in the vault. But it didn’t come from Zephirin.” He took Quins hand and said “It came from Charibert de Leusignac. He was a Thaumaturge who specialized in fire. I remember his eyes, Quin. They were so cold, but when he reached out and touched me, I could see an unholy glee in them. And, while no one can prepare for rape or torture, I always knew it was a possibility I would experience them. But nothing prepared me for someone I grew up with, taking so much joy out of burning and hurting someone. If it had not been for Lucia, Haurchefant and the Scions rescuing me then, I think he would have broken me.”

“And, now my darling, you’ve managed to capture the attention of Charibert’s younger brother. You have seen what the de Leusignac’s are capable of, and you know Merovech is part of the Inquisition. While we have dismantled the Heavens Ward, the Tribunal and Inquisition are still alive and kicking. We have neutered them, and limit them more each month, but they are fighting it. And they have the backing of some of the lower Houses. “ 

“Everything in my body and mind is telling me I should break this off, and not see you again. My first reaction was that I was the reason that he suddenly appeared in your life. We just do not know. I would see you safe and happy. But, my heart and soul, as well as many dear friends tell me I should let you be part of the decision. You know a portion of what Merovech could be capable of. I would like for you to take the next three weeks to think about what I’ve told you and let me know if you want to break it off, before you are in too deep.”

Quin looked at Aymeric and she pulled her left bottom lip between her teeth. She took a breath and said “I appreciate you not making this decision for me, even though its going against your gut. I have learned to respect what my gut tells me. I would be lying if I said this did not frighten me a bit. But I also know that only fools are never frightened.” 

She leaned in and touched her forehead to his “But Aymeric, I would be an even bigger fool to turn my back on what I think is happening between us. So, while I will think while I am gone, it will not be about breaking this off with you. I want to see where you and I end up. I do not want to name what I believe I am starting to feel for you yet, but my parents always said do not turn your back on your feelings. So, yes, I will think about a lot of things while I am gone but calling us off, over someone who may or may not be a threat…well that just isn’t one of them.”

She felt the exhale of Aymerics pent up breath and the tension that had built up in him ease off. He pulled her into a tight hug and said, “Thank you.”

She stroked his hair and said “Silly Aymeric…. I am worse than a cocklebur. I stick around” she gently teased.

When he raised his head to look at her, she saw tear streaks down his cheeks. 

Without saying a word, Quin moved down the couch slightly so that she was resting against the arm and back. She took Aymerics hands and pulled him down into her embrace. He lay his head on her shoulder, wrapped his arms around her waist and simply rested in her embrace. Quin stroked his hair and murmured a soft song as he physically found the comfort and peace he saw earlier promised in her eyes. 

Eventually, Aymeric fell asleep. Cardwell entered the library, looked at his Lord lying in Quins embrace. He picked up a warm blanket and tucked it around Aymeric and Quin. He looked at Quin and whispered “I’ll contact House Haillenarte to let them know the situation. We will also make sure you are up early enough to get you back home discretely. A squire was dispatched earlier with the items you are taking with you when you leave tomorrow. And, my Lady, thank you. Its been far too long since my Lord has found comfort.”

And the older gentleman silently blew out some of the candles and closed the door behind him. Amidst the soft gloom, the smell of old books, and the warmth of the man who sought comfort in her arms, Quin realized she did, indeed, have a name for what she was feeling.


	7. Sailing in a Sea of Clouds

Quin was coming back to Camp Cloudtop after another day of successful cataloging and surveying a larger area of trees. Her team was shaping up nicely, and they were able to go out and catalogue plants so well, she was able to send them out independently as needed. As a result, they would be able to catalogue more of the area than Quin thought they could in the three weeks they were scheduled to be in Cloudtop.

As she stood looking out over the gamboling Gaelicats, her thoughts drifted…

Borel House, early morning, one week prior:

_“Quin…..Quin….wake up.”_

_She felt her shoulder being gently shaken. When she opened her eyes, she first saw a sleeping Aymeric, his head still resting on her shoulder, his arms wrapped ‘round her waist. She turned to face the soft chuckle that came from another person._

_“Come on Quin. It is three and a half bells, and we need to get you home” Handeloup de Diambaux grinned at her. “Let Cardwell and me help you get up.”_

_Before they could, Quin held up a hand. She whispered in Aymerics ear “Sleep and don’t wake up until you are ready”. Then she nodded at the two men who repositioned the slumbering Lord Commander. After she slid off the sofa where she had been sitting, she stood up and stretched, wincing at the pins and needles that indicated blood was flowing back into her arms and legs. Once Aymeric was settled as comfortably as possible, Handeloup motioned for her to follow him into the foyer._

_Handeloup picked up her cloak and helping her in it said softly. “Cardwell didn’t have the heart to disturb Aymeric, so he called me to help you get home. I will sit with him and make sure when he wakes up, he knows you did not run screaming back to Gradania. By the way, what was that you said to him. I got the sensation of magic, but I wasn’t aware you were mage-gifted?”_

_“Technically, I am a White Mage, or in my case, a Green Mage as I specialize in plants. But I can cast minor cantrips to help people sleep, ease minor pain and such. If you cut yourself, I can help, but if you are bleeding bad, you better pray a White Mage gets to you quickly!”_

_“All right then, lets get you home. Are you afraid of heights?” As he opened the door for Quin, a deep growl greeted them._

_“Halone’s Frozen Tits, Handeloup, since when does Aymeric bring whores home, and why are you taking care of her? And what is the need for secrecy. No one cares when a whore get home.”_

_At the word ‘whore’, Quin’s temper flared, and she moved to slap the offensive man across the cheek. “How DARE you talk about Aymeric de Borel like that? And how dare you say those things about me?”_

_A gauntleted hand grabbed her wrist and started to twist, but Handeloup intervened. “Estinien Wyrmblood, please, let Lady Willhamina de Haillenarte go.”_

_If there was not a real danger of Estinien breaking Quin’s wrist, Handeloup would have laughed at the site of the smaller woman practically hissing with rage at the much taller Dragoon._

_“HA! Lady de Haillenarte, indeed. The only Lady de Haillenarte, other than the current Countess, and the Dowager” and Estinien gave a visible shudder at the mention of the Dowager, “is Commander Laniaitte.”_

_Handeloup sighed “Estinien, as usual, you don’t know what you are talking about. Help get Quin home and I’ll fill you in over an early breakfast.”_

_Quin looked at Handeloup incredulously. “He is taking me home?”_

_“Aye Quin, he is. Trust me, this is the only way. The watch is getting ready to change and there are too many people about and about. If we’re going to get you home and protect your reputation” Handeloup held up a hand in a warning motion when Estinien snorted “this is the only way.”_

_Estinien looked at Quin with distaste “Quin? What kind of a name is Quin?” And he turned his back to her and said “Well, come on, get on my back so I can get you home.”_

_At Handeloups nod, she climbed on Estinien back piggyback style. With a great leap, he launched them into the air and onto the rooftop of Borel House. From there, he proceeded to leap and hop and soar above the rooftops to House Haillenarte. He said “Window.” and Quin pointed to hers. He crawled up the wall to her window and perched on the little sill. Pushing the blade of his knife under it, he pried it open._

_Quin swung into her room. Before she could close the window, Estinien looked at her and said “You didn’t scream once. You will do.” And he launched himself into the false dawn._

Quin shook her head to clear it. She prepared the package of samples she needed to go back to the glass house to keep warmer than she could keep them out in the open. She trusted the Haillenarte gardeners to make sure the samples were in a warm, dry place. She also pulled three small Heavens Lemons out of her pack and tucked them into a basket. She lined it with leaves from the tree and secured the contents with clean burlap tied with some dried raffia. She penned a quick note to Aymeric that read

_Hello from Cloudtop!_

_I thought I would send you a small sample of something other than the flowers Granny wants me to focus on. They are on the small side but should be ripe enough for you to enjoy in your tea. That is, if you can stand to be parted from that sticky sweet syrup you crave! And, the Birch trees look good, so you can look forward to more of your treat._

_Yours_

_Q+35_

She smiled as she tied the envelop to the small basket. Aymeric’s name was clearly written, and she expected he would get it early the next day.

That small task complete and her parcel left with the outgoing post, she walked outside and saw Laniaitte coming back to the Camp. The cousins greeted each other and then Laniaitte said “This came for you in the post.” Laniaitte turned to her Squire and took a medium box from him. “I can’t even begin to imagine who THIS is from!” Laniaitte teased Quin. “I’ll see you tonight at dinner.” Laniaitte turned and walked over to the building that served as her office and quarters. 

Quin looked fondly after her cousin. While she loved her male Haillenarte and Fortemps cousins, she and Laniaitte had formed a remarkably close bond. They had spent several nights drinking bad wine around a small fire, getting to know each other. And, Laniaitte was particularly grateful for Quin as her being the “bridge” between the Fortemps and Haillenartes would prevent Emmanellain de Fortemps from pressing his suit on Laniaitte any further. 

“Its not that I dislike him, but, well……if he had a sister, I might be more inclined towards a Fortemps!” Laniaitte confessed one evening during one of their shared bottles of wine.

Quin snorted. “I just wonder how Granny would handle THAT!” And the two women laughed loud and long. 

When she arrived at her small room in the barracks, she sat down and looked carefully at the box. It was wrapped in dark blue paper. She opened it and saw an envelope lying on top of some packing material. She smiled when she saw the dark blue sealing wax with an elegant A de B pressed into the wax. The envelope and paper were thick

She dug around in the packing material and found a bottle each of white and red wines from Wineport. She checked for anything else she might have missed, and her hand touched on another, smaller box. She pulled it and saw it was from from the shop that Aymeric had sent his first box 

Opening the letter, she read:

_My Dear Quin_

_I am normally excellent with words, but I find I struggle to write the proper ones to you. I cannot begin to thank you for your kindness the night before you left._

_As I’m sure you guessed, I had thought of breaking off what was growing between us, as I didn’t want you to be hurt by possible repercussions, in any way, by my involvement in past events. But I quickly realized that my life is so much happier with you in it. While I am not quite sure how this will end, know that I count you as a close friend. And, isn’t that the basis for any relationship worth having; a solid friendship to build upon?_

_I hope you enjoy the wine during your next ‘girls’ night’ with Commander de Haillenarte. It must be better than that soldiers swill you have been drinking. Yes, I know about those evenings. Captain Harmond writes extremely thorough reports. But the chocolate is for you alone. I hope you enjoy both._

_I so look forward to your return._

_Yours,_

_Aymeric_

Quin hugged the letter to her chest and then carefully tucked it away safely in her satchel. 

_The End of the Second Week:_

The Heavens Lemon trees were looking healthy. Quin had found some evidence of fungi in the soil, but none of it appeared to be an overgrowth. Since it was in control, Quin let it be. She and her team did aerate some of the roots of trees and did some light fertilization with native compost. She found one sapling that was dug up, wrapped completely in burlap, and taken immediately to the glass house with instructions for the gardeners to unwrap the trunk and branches, but simply water the root ball. She also collected samples of the leaves, soil, and tiny bits of the bark. These were meticulously labeled, catalogued, and tucked into a large wooden box with numerous drawers and shelves. This allowed the precious glass to be as protected as possible. 

On Friday, when the sun was midway down from its zenith, she gathered her team and said, “What do you say we call it a weekend?”

Lieutenant Arnaud grinned and said “Aye my lady! Perhaps we could stop by the hot springs for a quick wash up? Then, on the way back, we could catch something for dinner other than the “bird of the day.”

Everyone laughed and whistled for their Chocobos. Heather Myst, as expected, bonded quickly with Quin, and became very protective. The team had learned to approach Quin very slowly and keep in eyesight of Heather at all times. The Chocobo was not at all shy about giving someone she thought was threatening Quin a quick peck and kick. The hot springs were only a few malms away from where they were working. They also had the added advantage of having several pools that were separated from each other. Quin found some soap root and handed it out. The men and women split up for their washing and soaking. 

Once they were finished, they started back to Camp Cloudtop. As they drew nearer, they could smell something delicious in the air. Squire Thomas said “I must be hallucinating. I smell beef!” The others agreed. They urged their birds onward, and, in a very few moments, they crested the hill just past the camp. A roasting side of buffalo was being turned on a spit and the camp was buzzing with excitement. 

Reaching camp, Quin headed to the Chocobo pens to groom Heather Myst. She saw Laniaitte walking towards her with a young squire in tow. Quin grinned at Laniaitte and said “So, no bird stew tonight? Where on earth did the beef come from?”

“Well, you will see in just a moment. You are wanted in my office. Do you think your beast will let my squire groom her?” Laniaitte asked with a grin on her face. 

Quin handed the squire a piece of apple “Lets see….” Heather gave a happy “Kweh” and took the apple. She seemed to accept the squire, so Quin and Laniaitte walked towards her office.

“Well, coz, if you weren’t ready to go public with your romance, you better prepare yourself.” Laniaitte said with a chuckle. The door to Laniaitte’s office opened and Handeloup walked out, grinned at the two women, and quickly turned back inside. 

They were close enough to hear a distinctive voice say, “She is?”, a chair scratched across the floor, and Aymeric hurried out the door towards the women. Handeloup fell in behind his Lord Commander.

As they approached, Laniaitte snapped to attention and offered a sharp salute which Aymeric and Handeloup returned. Handeloup said “Commander Laniaitte, perhaps we should go over our plans for your quarterly inspection elsewhere?” And the two walked off in the opposite direction.

Aymeric took Quins hand and said “Lady Quinly, how fare you?”

Quin gave a soft hmph and said “I don’t care if you are wearing all your bony armor. Give me a hug!”

Aymeric murmured “Gladly.” He wrapped Quin in his embrace, and she sighed happily.

After a moment, she looked up at Aymeric and said “What are you and Commander Handeloup doing here? I wasn’t expecting to see you until I got back to Ishgard late next week.”

“Ah, well, Izzy and Maddie are spending the weekend with Izzy’s parents. As the senior branch of the Ishgardian Forces, the Temple Knights are responsible for inspections of satellite outposts. We do them at least twice a year. The Rose Knights were due for one shortly, so with the ladies out of town, Handeloup decided to do it this weekend. And, I thought I might give him some assistance, if that’s agreeable with you?”

Quin smiled brightly “It is! It is most agreeable! I have missed you. Are you two responsible for the beef? If you are, then you have my eternal gratitude. If I had to eat one more meal made of poultry, I think I would start grazing on grass.” And the two walked to the barracks storage where Quin kept her tools and supplies. She placed her items inside and excused herself to put her wooden box inside her room. Then, the two walked over to the cook fire and joined in the merriment.

After a delicious meal, there was music and singing around the cook-fire. Aymeric and Handeloup removed their Congregation insignias before dinner and simply enjoyed their time with the men and women they served as fellow knights. While the knights and squires were respectful, there was less formality at Camp Cloudtop. This was, in part, because most of the people stationed here had suffered significant injuries and were no longer able to withstand the rigors of duty with either House Knights or with the Temple Knights.

At the end of the evening, Aymeric and Quin went for a walk around the periphery of the camp. Away from The Holy See, Aymeric felt more comfortable and more himself. He freely took Quin’s hand as they walked, and he shared stories about some of the happier times of his childhood. The Fortemps and Haillenarte brothers figured prominently in those stories. 

Quin asked “What about Estinien? Is he always so…? I mean he’s your friend…”

“I heard about your fight with him, and I full wish I could have seen it! Estinien told me you hissed and tried to claw at him like a Courel Kitten. Aye, he is crude, and I beat him soundly in the training yard for calling you what he did.” Aymeric gave a soft chuckle “But he is one of the truest friends I have. He has had my back and has gone through so much.”

Aymeric turned to face Quin “I wonder….do you realize you tried to slap a dragon?”

“Ummmm…..I tried to do what, exactly?” Quin said disbelievingly.

“Niddhog’s spirit possessed Estinien for quite some time. That is news that we tried to keep in Ishgard as much as possible. When Niddhog left him, he retained many draconic traits. He considers himself half dragon. He no longer serves with the Dragoons; he is now his own force of one. But he does come into town frequently and he has a room at Borel House. So, you may see him around the estate. I’ll make sure he apologizes to you.”

“I tried to slap a half dragon. Umm……does he….” Quin asked “well …Seven Hells, he deserved to get slapped! He never should have accused you of having a whore over.”

Aymeric let out a huge belly laugh. He laughed so hard he bent over until he could get it under control. “Quinly Haillenarte, you try to claw the eyes out of the most infamous Dragoon in Eorzia, climb on his back and let him take you leaping over the rooftops of Ishgard, climb in your window , and you’re worried about what he said about ME? You are one remarkable woman!” And he gathered her in his arms and held her for a few moments. 

“In all seriousness” after his laughter stopped somewhat “Estinien is who he is. He is violent, angry, and cynical. But he will have your back in a fight, his loyalty once given is hard to shake, and he is capable of great feelings. While I understand that he is somewhat of …an acquired taste, I hope that you both can be friends one day.”

A skeptical, very unladylike snort came from Quin’s direction. “We’ll see about that.” 

Aymeric shook his head “Quin, something tells me you and Estinien are more alike than you are not.”

It had grown late, so Aymeric walked Quin back towards her barracks. When they got to the door, Quin turned at looked at him. “Would you be up for a very early morning trip? There is something I would like you to see.”

Aymeric grinned and said, “I’m always up early, so define that better.”

“About a half hour before dawn. And, if we can get one of the mana cutters, we can let the Chocobos have a day of rest” she said.

“All right, that is definitely within my ability. I’ll ask the watch to wake both of us up in time to meet at the mana cutters then.” Aymeric looked at her perplexed “And exactly what should I see at that unholy hour of the morning?”

Quin smiled up at him and said “Then, it would ruin the surprise. I’ll go by the kitchen and see if they have something for breakfast we can take with us.”

Aymeric cocked his head and looked at the woman standing before him. He caught the light scent of lemon and jasmine, and something he could not quite identify. The soft look on her face drew him in, and he watched her eyes close slowly. He bent towards her….

“Lord Commander, Commander Handeloup respectfully requests to speak with you before you retire for the evening” a young knight said, slightly out of breath.

Aymeric sighed almost inaudibly and said “Of course. I’ll be right there.” He gave Quin a regretful smile, took her hand and gave it a soft kiss. “Until the crack of dawn then.”

He waited until she was indoors, then went to Commander de Haillenarte’s office to talk with Handeloup.

The next morning was clear and cold. The stars were still twinkling in the frosty air, but the faintest lightening of the inky black sky was starting to appear in the east. Aymeric walked to the mana cutters and checked one out with the watch. “Lord Commander” the watch said, “if you will give me the coordinates, I can enter them, and the cutter should be able to get you there with a minimum of fuss.”

A sleepy voice sounded behind Aymeric “We’re going to Isl’ Est. How long will that take?” And Quin walked up with a largish backpack on her back. 

“My Lady, if you skirt the outer isles, it should take you about 15 minutes total.” 

Quin said “Excellent.” She took off her backpack and handed it to Aymeric. She then got on the ‘cutter and motioned for him to sit behind her. He fastened her pack on the back of the ‘cutter and climbed on. She turned it on and the mana crystal in the front of the ‘cutter gave off a faint glow. “We should be back reasonably early. After Isl’ Est, we’re going to take a quick trip to Voor Sian Siran, then we’ll track back here by the west-south west path.”

“Very good My Lady, Lord Commander. If there are any problems, you have your linkpearl, Lord Commander?”

Aymeric said “I do, but please run have any communication run through Commander Handeloup.”

“Aye Lord Commander, My Lady. Have a safe trip.”

After the two knights exchanged slightly sleepy salutes, Quin and Aymeric were off in the lifting darkness. 

,

After a quick trip through the fading darkness, Quin deftly steered by the coordinates on the map interface. Aymeric could see that she was heading towards a vague landmass in the deep gray sky. She deftly landed the small craft and they both got off. Aymeric grabbed the pack that Quin had brought with her.

After securing the ‘cutter, Quin took Aymeric by the hand and led him about 10 feet away from the cutter. She opened the pack and spread a large blanket on the ground and secured it with stones. She looked to the east and said “Oh good! Here it comes.”

The sky had lightened enough that Aymeric could discern the dark ground from a lighter gray sky. Pulled him over close to the edge. She said, “Now, look out and slightly down.”

Aymeric pulled Quin into him so that her back was against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. Quin held onto his hands and he could feel her buzzing with excitement. He noticed that, while the stars were fading, but, while the sky was lightening, a rose color seemed to start to glow below where he was standing. As the minutes ticked by, the rosy color seemed to spread and brighten, and he could see that the area below him was filled with puffy clouds. As he watched, the rose turned to red, then orange. Finally, when he thought the clouds could not get any brighter, he saw the sun. It appeared to rise from the clouds, a King, pulling the curtains of his bed aside to begin his day.<

Aymeric breathed out “By the Twelve! Quin, is this what the Heavens look like?”

Quin scrunched up her shoulders and whispered, “If they do, I could be very happy there.”

The two watched spellbound for a few more moments as the rising sun cast a warm light on their faces and the morning shadows gave way to the dawn. Aymeric turned Quin to face him. He smiled at the slightly sleep-disheveled botanist and gently pulled her spectacles off her nose. He tucked them into a pocket then bent down and tipped her chin up to meet his eyes. He said, “The only thing more amazing than the sunrise is that you chose to share it with me.” His eyes held hers spellbound as her smile softened. He bent his head further and whispered, “May kiss you?”

Quin breathed “Please…” just as his lips gently touched hers. Her breath hitched slightly as he gently brushed against her lips and then placed several small, gentle kisses on her mouth. As he drew her deeper in the kiss, he cupped her face with his hands, then buried them in her hair. In turn, Quin slid her hands around his waist. 

Aymeric felt Quin’s lips soften against his as she learned the rhythm of his kisses. He allowed his kisses to grow a bit bolder and touched her bottom lip with his tongue. When she gasped, he slipped inside her mouth and caressed her tongue with his. He felt her tremble and broke off the kiss with a few small light ones.

“Quin, are you alright? Did I presume too much?” Aymeric asked with a look of softly amused concern.

“No, you didn’t. It’s just that…oh you will think I’m a naïve goose, but that was my first real, adult kiss.” Quin blushed and looked away.

Aymeric gently touched her chin and turned her face back to him. He led her to a nearby boulder, sat down and drew her onto his lap. “Quinly, I could never think that you are a naïve goose because you have never had a real kiss. I am rather flattered that I was the one to claim it. But, in all seriousness, how does someone as lovely as you have not had a kiss before this?”

“Well, its not too hard when you are devoted to your studies. There were plenty of apprentices that did not mind skipping their classes for a kiss and cuddle behind the tool shed. But that was never for me. Then, after I became a master, relationships with junior botanists was somewhat frowned on, not that there was anyone I wanted to kiss. I was honestly starting to worry about myself before I met you” she confessed with a smile.

Aymeric played with a curl and asked “And, what is it about me that stopped your worries?”

Quin said “Well, you are the first person I’ve ever _wanted_ to kiss. Would you kiss me again?”

Aymeric chuckled and said “Gladly.” 

After a few lovely minutes spent on the boulder kissing in the morning sun, Quin’s stomach alerted them both that they had not had breakfast. Reluctantly pulling away, Quin unpacked the rest of her backpack. She had gotten some cheese, fresh bread, and some dried fruit for their breakfast. She pulled a bespelled carafe out and handed it to Aymeric who poured out some hot tea. 

As he tasted it, he gave a slight grimace. “I forgot what camp tea tastes like.” 

Quin grinned at him and said “Well, I have something that just might help that.” She opened a side pocket on her pack and pulled out a small jar of Birch Syrup. 

Aymeric’s eyes lit up at the sight and he helped himself then offered some to Quin. 

“I believe that I will have some of that; you are absolutely correct about camp tea.” After lacing her tea with a small bit of the sweetness, she thought she had found a reasonable compromise between too sweet and too bitter. They ate breakfast in the now sun-warmed morning.

After they were finished, they packed up quickly and got back on the mana cutter. As Quin deftly sped to the southwest, Aymeric took in the highly unusual landscape. If he indicated something he was interested in, Quin steered that way. He enjoyed the feeling of the warm woman in front of him and could smell the outdoors in her pulled-back hair. 

Eventually, they came upon a large lake, broken up into smaller sections. There were numerous trees and plants growing on the shore and in the shallow water. Birds and animals scattered as the silent ‘cutter came upon the lake. 

When Quin landed the cutter, she pulled her goggles off and grinned at Aymeric. “Welcome to Voor Sian Siran, the home of Birch trees!” She took Aymeric by the hand and led him to one of the numerous small groupings of tall, rather slender trees. As Quin talked to him about how the sap was tapped, Aymeric walked around the trees.

“I have to say, I thought they would be bigger and not quite so…shaggy.” Aymeric noted.

Quin said “That’s one of the reasons Birch Syrup is so rare and expensive. These are small trees; they can’t take too much sap tapping.”

She took a small tube with a sharp end out of her backpack. She deftly hammered the sharp end into the tree and place a cup under the tube. A thin stream of liquid trickled out. She pulled out the tube and sang a soft song. Aymeric gasped as he saw the wound, she had caused in the tree seem to close up

“Quin, what was that you just did?” Aymeric asked curiously. 

She caressed the tree and said “I’m a Green Mage. My speciality is plants and trees and their healing.”

Handing the cup to Aymeric, Quin said “Go ahead, taste it. It is the sap, or the life fluid, of the tree. In a few weeks, on a warm day, the sap will rise in the tree and then it will be harvested.” Aymeric tasted it and looked inquiringly at Quin. She continued “Then its boiled down and it becomes Birch Syrup.”

Aymeric pondered the taste for a moment. “It tastes watery and kind of weak. But I can definitely taste the flavor of Birch Syrup.”

Quin grinned “The residents who harvest the trees definitely understand how to preserve them. The tapping scars are of varying ages. I bet they will harvest off these trees in a couple of weeks.” And she pointed several trees. 

At that, Aymerics linkpearl chimed. He answered it, listened for a few minutes and “We’ll be back shortly.” He signed off and looked regretfully at Quin. “It seems that Lianaitte is ready for her formal troop inspection.” He walked over to Quin and said, “One more kiss before we head back?”

Quin happily complied and tasted the raw Birch sap on Aymerics lips. 

In their haste to steal one last kiss before they returned to the camp, they did not take a closer look at the trees Quin had pointed out. If they had, they might have noticed the very faint symbol of Garlemald carved on the trunks of three of the trees.

<


	8. L’Entracte Trois

L’Entracte Trois 

A man was working in a well-appointed study, pencil and paper in hand. He was so intent on what he was doing that he did not hear the ping on the long-distance transmission device that he had been given until it had chimed three times.

“Yes, My Lord?” he barked, pushing the paper away from slightly when the chime broke through his revere. 

“Well, Reaper, we have a problem. It seems that our love-struck Lord Speaker paid a visit to the little botanist in Camp Cloudtop and she showed him the Birch Grove. Fortunately, our Lord Speaker was able to distract the woman with well-timed kisses” a gravelly voice said. 

The man called Reaper could feel his rage build “He did what? He kissed her?” With that, the Ishgardian started pacing around his study, like a great agitated wyvern. He thought to himself “How dare he touch her….” 

The gravely voice continued “Forget your lust for a moment and listen carefully. If she goes back to the Birch Grove before the harvest is complete, have your agent kill her. There are a sufficient number of places she could simply disappear off the edge of.”

Reaper said “I don’t think that will be necessary. She is back in Ishgard for two weeks to meet with her Oversight Committee, then she is back out for another 3 weeks.” “

Do as you see fit, but don’t mess this up. We need to regain control of the Holy See at all costs” the gravely voice said coldly. 

The Reaper’s hand tightened on the pencil he was holding “Very good, My Lord.” 

The communication was severed. Reaper paced around his study a few more times. His hands were shaking in frustration as he went over to his desk and pulled the paper he was working on towards him. “Oh, my lovely, you shouldn’t have let him touch you. You shouldn’t let any man save me touch you.” He caressed the paper several times, becoming more aroused by the minute. Finally, he reached the prime point of tension, pulled on a dark cloak, grabbed a carving knife, and left his study by a hidden door behind a bookcase. The piece of paper he was touching was a drawing he had made of a young woman, with bouncy curls, small Elezen ears, and a tiny hatchet hanging from her bracelet. Underneath it, the name Willahmina Quienliella Antoinette de Haillenarte had been written and was viscously crossed out. 

It had been replaced by: My ‘Mina.


	9. The Killing Game

Aymeric and Handeloup returned to the Congregation after their trip to Camp Cloudtop. They shared the results of their inspection with Lucia, who simply nodded sagely over her cup of tea and arched a delicate eyebrow. The Monday morning briefing continued as expected, with Handeloup reviewing his designee’s reports as well as the results of the Camp Cloudtop inspection.

When it was Lucia’s turn to report, she said “I’m afraid my news isn’t so routine. Hilde reports there was another murder in the Brume last night. The circumstances are very unusual. She was violated, then strangled. Her hair was cut off, and the Inspector Chirugeon notes that there is an “R” carved in her shoulder that appears to have been carved either just before or very shortly after her death.”

“Lucia, you said ‘another murder’. Is this related to any other murders either in The Brume or elsewhere?” Aymeric asked.

“Aye My Lord, there have been two in the past month. Neither met the criteria for reporting to either you as Lord Commander or to Parliament. They were both women, but the first showed no evidence of anything other than a murder by strangulation. The second, there was evidence of violation as well as strangulation, but none of the other things. Hilde and I are both concerned that there is a pattern developing and it is showing signs of escalation.” Lucia stated flatly. “All three women are under the age of 30, rather tall, and hair that is a shade of brown. What is more disturbing is what we found near the last unfortunate woman.” 

She lay a piece of Ishgardian Blue wool on the table. It had the intricately woven white threads decorating the border where the fabric was hemmed.

Aymeric looked at the cloth. “This is from a Temple Knights armor!”

“Aye, Lord Commander. This is the first time we have seen any clue like this. We checked all the uniforms we could, but there are none with a missing piece this big. Hilde and I don’t know if the killer is careless, or if he is going to be leading us on a not-so merry chase.”

She continued “Hilde and I have both seen this type of crime before, and it definitely bears watching.”

Handeloup asked “Should we increase patrols in the Brume?”

“I asked Hilde if she needed the extra support, however, she feels like she and her Hounds are sufficient at this time. The Congregation will be in close contact with the Hounds.” Lucia replied.

Aymeric said “This is concerning, and I’ll take it to Parliament. Would that the Inquisition felt it worth their time to assist. Lucia, will you take point on this situation and keep me updated.” 

“Aye, Lord Commander” his First Commander replied. “If we’re seeing a pattern develop, its disturbing and both Hilde and I want to get to the bottom of it.”

**Later That Week**

Late Wednesday afternoon, Aymeric and Handeloup were enjoying a few moments of friendship over a small amount of the Lomensin whiskey. 

“When Lady Quin gets back from the Churning Mist, why don’t you two come over for dinner?” Handeloup asked. 

“I’ll ask Quin, but that sounds like it would be right to her liking. She will be in for two weeks, then she will be out with the Moogles for a week.” Aymeric stated.

“Excellent! That will give Iz time to prepare.” Handeloup grinned “It’s good to know you have her travel plans memorized.”

Aymeric laughed. “So I do!” 

The Lord Commander paused for a moment, then looked puzzled. “Handeloup, Izzy has never gone out of her way to ‘prepare’ for me coming to dinner, and Quin would not expect it either. In fact, I think she would be uncomfortable if ‘preparations’ needed to be made.”

Handeloup shook his head ruefully. “No, its not time to prepare for dinner. Its time for us to prepare Maddie. You see, you are not just her _‘Oncle Ammy’_. It seems she has developed a crush on you, and meeting Quin will probably break her heart. If we prepare her, it might not be quite so bad.” Handeloup sighed. “I swore I would run through the first arsehole that broke my baby’s heart, but, since you’re my Lord Commander and friend, I think you are safe.”

Aymeric laughed “Are you sure you aren’t preparing yourself for her first broken heart? I think you will take it harder than Maddie will.”

“ ‘Ric, you are probably right about that. But, we want to make sure you are always one of her favorite people and that she will feel comfortable around Quin. And, there is another reason. You are a huge part of her family. You are the only ‘uncle’ she has. We don’t want her to lose that relationship with you.” He took a sip of the amber liquid and continued “Now, I’m not trying to pry into your thoughts and future plans, but she took losing Haurchefant extremely hard. She still keeps him in her prayers. Both Iz and I want to protect her from another loss so soon, and if you don’t see Quin being in your life in any way…….”

Aymeric sighed deeply. “I completely understand. I think I would cheerfully throttle anyone who hurt my _mingnonette_.” 

Aymeric then sat forward, with his arms on his knees. “Damnit all Handeloup, its driving me crazy being this far away from Quin. Cloudtop is not so bad, and she will only be gone a week to Mogholm. But I do not know how I am going to deal with her being gone for a full month, and possibly longer when she heads to Dravania. I know Vidofnir and her brood will look out for her, but… a full month.” And the normally composed and self-possessed Lord Speaker and Commander rubbed his hands over his face and through his hair. “I don’t even know the protocol for courting someone, and she’s not going to be around long enough for me to figure it out!”

Handeloup laughed and said “Well, if you’re trying to figure out courtship, I think that we don’t have to worry about Maddie getting attached to Quin and losing her. Three weeks should be plenty of time to get Madds ready. With Quin heading out for a month, that will give the imp a chance to adjust and reorganize her ‘world according to Madds’.”

The two shared a companionable laugh. Suddenly, there came a knock on Aymerics door. The pattern was one that indicated the need was important, but there was no danger or threat of attack. Aymeric said “Come in”, as he and Handeloup put down their glasses.

“Lord Commander, Second Commander!” A young squire panted “We just got word from the airship launch pad and they have received a request for an unscheduled docking. The ‘ship is coming from The Sea of Clouds. The watch thought you would want to know.”

Aymeric’s face lit up with a huge grin that he quickly dampened and said “Thank you, Squire. Tell the watch I’ll be there to meet it.”

Handeloup looked at his friend and laughed. “When you get that courtship thing figured out, let me know!”


End file.
